Layered resolutions of Cohen-Macaulay modules (Q2659448)

This paper concerns constructing free resolutions of maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules (MCM) over complete intersection rings. These resolutions are often minimal. The results are used to characterize all MCM modules over complete intersections in terms of higher matrix factorizations. \par We provide a bit of historical background and context. The study of MCM modules over Cohen-Macaulay (CM) local rings is a generalization of the representation theory of finite dimensional algebras. In the first interesting case of a hypersurface, Eisenbud in [\textit{D. Eisenbud}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 260, 35--64 (1980; Zbl 0444.13006)] described MCM modules using matrix factorizations. This description arises from a study of the minimal free resolutions of the modules: for example, he showed that an MCM module with no free summands has a periodic resolution of period \(1\) or \(2\) and that these correspond to matrix factorizations of the defining equation. Matrix factorizations have since found applications in algebraic geometry, commutative and homological algebra, representation theory and physics amongst other fields. In [\textit{D. Orlov}, Mat. Contemp. 41, 75--112 (2012; Zbl 1297.14019)], a generalization of the theory of matrix factorizations to complete intersections was initiated, following which, other authors developed it further. However, these do not reveal the structure of minimal free resolutions of MCM modules. On the other hand, although there are many methods to construct free resolutions for wide classes of rings, these rarely yield minimal ones -- the knowledge of infinite minimal free resolutions of modules over rings is sparse. \par In this article (and in [\textit{D. Eisenbud} and \textit{I. Peeva}, Minimal free resolutions over complete intersections. Cham: Springer; (2016; Zbl 1342.13001)), the authors consider the general case of complete intersections. The case of codimension 2 was addressed in \textit{L. L. Avramov} and \textit{R.-O. Buchweitz}, J. Algebra 230, No. 1, 24--67 (2000; Zbl 1011.13007)] and [\textit{D. Eisenbud} and \textit{I. Peeva}, Acta Math. Vietnam. 44, No. 1, 141--157 (2019; Zbl 1419.13023)]. \par We now summarize the results in this paper. Let \(S\) be a Gorenstein local ring and \(M\) a finitely generated CM \(S\)-module of codimension \(c\). Fix a regular sequence \(\underline{f}:=f_1,\dots,f_c\in Ann(M)\) and set \(R:=S/(\underline{f})\). The authors inductively construct \textit{layered} \(S\)-free and \(R\)-free resolutions of \(M\) with respect to \(\underline{f}\). To do this, they use the theory of MCM approximations in the sense of [\textit{M. Auslander} and \textit{R.-O. Buchweitz}, Mém. Soc. Math. Fr., Nouv. Sér. 38, 5--37 (1989; Zbl 0697.13005)]. A brief review of these ideas are provided in section 2. More specifically, they describe codimension one MCM approximations in section 3. Using this, they obtain a \(2\)-term complex of free \(S\)-modules, \(\mathbf{B}^S\), and a map of complexes, \(\psi_{\bullet}^S:\mathbf{B}^S[-1]\rightarrow \mathbf{L'}\), where \(\mathbf{L'}\) is the inductively obtained \(S\)-free layered resolution of the essential MCM approximation of \(M\) over \(R':=R/(f_1,\dots,f_{c-1})\). In section \(4\), the layered \(S\)-free resolution of \(M\) is then constructed as the mapping cone of the map induced by \(\psi_{\bullet}^S\) between \(\mathbf{K}\otimes_S\mathbf{B}^S[-1]\rightarrow \mathbf{L'}\), where \(\mathbf{K}\) is the Koszul complex resolving \(R'\) over \(S\). For the \(R\)-free resolutions, the authors additionally make use of complete intersection (CI) operators and the Shamash construction -- these are reviewed in section \(5\). Let \(\mathbf{L'}\) now denote the inductively obtained \(R'\)-free layered resolution of the essential MCM approximation of \(M\) over \(R'\). Using the codimension one MCM approximations in section 3, a \(2\)-term complex of \(R'\)-free modules, \(\mathbf{B}\), and a map of complexes \(\psi_{\bullet}:\mathbf{B}[-1]\rightarrow \mathbf{L'}\) is obtained. In section \(6\), the \(R\)-free layered resolution of \(M\) is then constructed as the Shamash complex of the mapping cone of \(\psi_{\bullet}\). Note here that the mapping cone of \(\psi_{\bullet}\) is a \(R'\)-free resolution of \(M\). For high \(R\)-syzygies of a given \(R\)-module \(N\) of finite projective dimension over \(S\), these resolutions coincide with the ones constructed in [\textit{D. Eisenbud} and \textit{I. Peeva}, Minimal free resolutions over complete intersections. Cham: Springer (2016; Zbl 1342.13001)]. An alternate approach to the construction of the layered \(R\)-free resolutions is presented in section 9. It is obtained from a periodic exact sequence of \(R\)-modules that generalizes the \(R\)-free periodic resolution of a module over a hypersurface constructed in [\textit{D. Eisenbud}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 260, 35--64 (1980; Zbl 0444.13006)]. The ``layered'' terminology comes from the fact that these resolutions come with a natural filtration by subcomplexes, whose subquotients are the layers. \par Sections \(7\) and \(8\) concern the minimality of the layered resolutions constructed. In section \(7\), a criteria for minimality is provided in terms of the injectivity of certain CI operators (Theorem 7.1). This is then used to show under mild hypothesis that if \(N\) is a finitely generated MCM \(R\)-module of finite projective dimension over \(S\), then the layered resolutions over \(R\) and \(S\) with respect to \(\underline{f}\) of the \(n\)-th syzygy of \(M\) over \(R\) are minimal when \(n\geq 3+\text{max}\{c-2,r(\underline{f},N)\}\). Here \(r(\underline{f},N)\) is a function of the Castelnuovo-Mumford regularities over the rings of CI operators corresponding to the \(f_i\) of Ext modules involving the essential MCM approximations of \(N\) with respect to the \(S/(f_1,\dots,f_i)\). In particular, when \(S\) has an infinite residue field, the layered resolutions of sufficiently high \(R\)-syzygies of a given \(R\)-module \(N\) are minimal. Questions relating to the invariant \(r(\underline{f},N)\) are also explored in section \(8\). \par In section 10, an inductive definition of a CI matrix factorization is given (Definition 10.2) and is then used to define a CI matrix factorization module. The definitions here are essentially equivalent to the ones introduced by the authors in [\textit{D. Eisenbud} and \textit{I. Peeva}, Minimal free resolutions over complete intersections. Cham: Springer (2016; Zbl 1342.13001)]. These are then used to characterize all MCM modules over a complete intersection, generalizing the analogous result for hypersurfaces in [\textit{D. Eisenbud}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 260, 35--64 (1980; Zbl 0444.13006)]: A finitely generated \(R\)-module \(N\) is MCM if and only if it is a CI matrix factorization module for the sequence \(\underline{f}\).